§13503 — Title 49 Transportation | U.S. Code

§13503 Exempt motor vehicle transportation in terminal areas

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE IV— - INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION › Part PART B— - MOTOR CARRIERS, WATER CARRIERS, BROKERS, AND FREIGHT FORWARDERS › Chapter CHAPTER 135— - JURISDICTION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - MOTOR CARRIER TRANSPORTATION › § 13503

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Says the Secretary and the Board do not have authority over short motor-vehicle moves inside a terminal when those moves are pickups, drop-offs, or transfers that are part of a carrier’s regular service. If a rail carrier (chapter 105), a water carrier (subchapter II), or a freight forwarder (subchapter III) does the work and it is incidental to their regulated transport, the move stays under that carrier’s own rules (chapter 105, subchapter II, or subchapter III). The same rule applies when a person acts as an agent or works under an arrangement for a rail carrier, a motor carrier (this subchapter), a water carrier, or a freight forwarder. Then the move is treated as if the carrier or forwarder provided it and is governed by that carrier’s chapter or subchapter.

Title 49, §13503

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Neither the Secretary nor the Board has jurisdiction under this subchapter over transportation by motor vehicle provided in a terminal area when the transportation—

(A)is a transfer, collection, or delivery;

(B)is provided by—

(i)a rail carrier subject to jurisdiction under chapter 105;

(ii)a water carrier subject to jurisdiction under subchapter II of this chapter; or

(iii)a freight forwarder subject to jurisdiction under subchapter III of this chapter; and

(C)is incidental to transportation or service provided by the carrier or freight forwarder that is subject to jurisdiction under chapter 105 of this title or under subchapter II or III of this chapter.

(2)Transportation exempt from jurisdiction under paragraph (1) of this subsection is subject to jurisdiction under chapter 105 when provided by such a rail carrier, under subchapter II of this chapter when provided by such a water carrier, and under subchapter III of this chapter when provided by such a freight forwarder.

(b)(1)Except to the extent provided by paragraph (2) of this subsection, neither the Secretary nor the Board has jurisdiction under this subchapter over transportation by motor vehicle provided in a terminal area when the transportation—

(A)is a transfer, collection, or delivery; and

(B)is provided by a person as an agent or under other arrangement for—

(i)a rail carrier subject to jurisdiction under chapter 105 of this title;

(ii)a motor carrier subject to jurisdiction under this subchapter;

(iii)a water carrier subject to jurisdiction under subchapter II of this chapter; or

(iv)a freight forwarder subject to jurisdiction under subchapter III of this chapter.

(2)Transportation exempt from jurisdiction under paragraph (1) of this subsection is considered transportation provided by the carrier or service provided by the freight forwarder for whom the transportation was provided and is subject to jurisdiction under chapter 105 of this title when provided for such a rail carrier, under this subchapter when provided for such a motor carrier, under subchapter II of this chapter when provided for such a water carrier, and under subchapter III of this chapter when provided for such a freight forwarder.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 10523 of this title prior to the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, § 102(a).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title.